Arch support



March 18, 1958 J. D. HARRIS HAL 2,826,833

ARCH SUPPORT Filed April 30, 1956 INVENTORS JEROME D. HARRIS BY WILL/AM E. KELLOGG A T TO/PNEVS United States Patent 2,826,833 ARCH SUPPORT woman; Ham's, Belmont, and wiuam'n. Kellogg," San Mateo, Galifi; said Kelloggi'assignot-to said Harris Application fAp'i-il *s0,'1956,istria1jN. 581,701

I V i iciaim. (or. 56-71 This invention pertains to an arch support for a shoe which is specifically adapted to be utilized in womens shoes of the so-called high style type.

Shoes of the high style type include, for example, shoes of the open heel type, pumps, and other varieties which do not have a tight strap to secure the shoe to the foot. Many women cannot be satisfactorily fitted with this type of footwear. The people who cannot comfortably wear such shoes cannot wear them because the longitudinal arch of their foot is not supported by the shoe, i. e., there is a space between the arch and the shoe. The weight of the person tends to flatten the longitudinal arch of the foot which causes the foot to move downward toward the toe of the shoe, i. e., the heel of the person pulls away from its proper position relative to the heel end of the shoe.

A full width arch support is not feasible with a high style type shoe because such a supportraises thefoot relative to the shoe and causes the shoe to come off during use, or to look awkward on thewearer.

The device contemplated by this invention supports the longitudinal arch of the wearer of the shoe without raising the foot of the wearer relative to the inner sole of the shoe. Further, the device of this invention is not visible, allowing the wearer to wear the shoe with confidence of its pleasing looks.

It is therefore an object of this invention to support the longitudinal arch of the foot of the wearer of a high style shoe.

It is another object of this invention to support the longitudinal arch of the wearer of a high style shoe in a manner which does not disfigure the shoe.

It is another object of this invention to support the medial region of the longitudinal arch of the wearer of a high style shoe.

It is yet another object of this invention to support the medial side of the longitudinal arch from the proximal end to the metatarsal region thereof of the wearer of a high style shoe.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide an arch support adapted to be positioned within ahigh style shoe to support the medial side of the longitudinal arch of the wearer of said shoe.

It is another object of this invention to provide an arch support adapted to be attached to the inner sole of a high style shoe to cause the heel of the wearer to be properly positioned relative to the heel of the shoe.

Other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: I

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a typical high style shoe showing the arch support of this invention positioned therein;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the arch support of this invention;

Figure 3 is a view in section taken along lines 3-3 of Figure 2; and

2,826,833 Patented Mar. 18, 1958 Figu're 4 is a view "in sectiomtaken along lines of 'Fi'g'ure'2. f i In Figufe"1,'ins'ert 10 i'sfshownfpositioned"in slide '12. fiook shaped portion ":14 of .1 insert "10 is attached, prefer'ably by .igluin'g, the 'heel surface .16 offshoe 12. Arch support1'poit i'onf18 liesinthe shank portion of 'ice cent the inside edge'dfthe shoe. The'only positive attachment *betw'een -ins"e'rt"-'10 and slide {12 is "at hooked portion 14. The foot of the w'earer maintains arch support portion 18 of insert 10 in place against the inside edge of the shoe. Support portion 18 fills in the arch void between shoe 12 and the foot of the wearer to prevent the heel of the wearer from pulling away from the heel of the shoe. The heel of the wearer fits within the cutout which is defined by hook-shaped portion 14. Insert 10 does not in any way raise the foot with respect to the shoe but fills the space between the shoe 12 and the foot of the wearer to properly position and support the foot of the wearer with respect to shoe 12. As shown in Figure 4, the arch support portion 18 of the insert is transversely tapered, being slightly higher adjacent straight edge 20.

Insert 10 is preferably of leather, but may alternatively be of some other structural material. Leather is preferred because of its durable wearing qualities and because it is pliable to conform to the shape of the individual wearer. Arch support 18 of insert 10 may be fabricated with a resilient material 22 such as, for example, foam rubber. Resilient material 22 is preferably surrounded by a strong, durable material, such as leather, at surfaces 24 and 26. The material at 24 and 26 may be attached in any desired fashion, such as by gluing or stitching. Portion 28 of insert 10 is called a metatarsal button and is adapted to support the metatarsal region of the wearers foot. Metatarsal button 28 may also include resilient material such as foam rubber.

In use, the foot of the wearer is positioned in the shoe so that the heel of the wearer fits into the void which is surrounded by the hooked portion 14. The foot of the wearer holds arch support 18 in place while support 18 cooperates with the foot to give needed support. It is to be noted that the longitudinal arch of the wearer is supported along the medial portion of the arch from the proximal end to the metatarsal region adjacent the distal end.

Thus, the wearers who formerly could not be satisfactorily fitted with high style footwear may now be satisfactorily fitted with high style shoes with resulting comfort and confidence that the shoes will have the style for which they were purchased.

While a preferred form of the arch support of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that said arch support is subject to modification without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

For ladies footwear of the high style type, a removable insert adapted to be employed without alteration of said footwear and adapted to be selectively positioned longitudinally of said footwear in accordance with the characteristics of the longitudinal arch of the wearer of said footwear, said insert having a flap portion which is repetitively releasably adhesively securable to a portion of the inner heel surface of said footwear when in placethere in and having an arch support portion integral with said flap portion, said support portion being disposed in free and unattached relation with said footwear and being supported by said flap portion in depending relation thereto when said flap portion is secured to said inner heel sur face, said support portion having an inner edge disposed by the par icular positioning of said flap portion and by the foot of the wearer of said footwear immediately adjacent the medial side of thelongitudinal arch and having an outer edge disposed'inwardly a substantial distance from the, outer side of said footwear, said support portion being progressively thicker transversely in the direction of the inner edge thereof and being shaped in a longitudinal direction as to occupy and fill the void defined between said footwear and the medial side of the longitudinal arch of the wearer between the proximal end of said arch and the metatarsal region adjacent the distal end of said arch.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Stout Aug. 25, 1925 Hukill Apr. 27, 1948 Ritchey Dec. 1, 1953 Riggs June 15, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Sept. 14, 1936 Switzerland July 1, 1936 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1943 Great Britain May 20, 1937 Great Britain Sept. 12, 1940 

